William Jacobsen, the author of Viper, Business as Usual and For Hire, was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. When he joined the New York Police Department he was first assigned to the 25th Precinct in upper Manhattan. Later, he was transferred to the Tactical Patrol Force and then the Brooklyn North Youth Squad. He also worked the 67th Detective Squad in Flatbush, Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Burglary-Larceny Squad, and the Brooklyn Burglary Squad.  William Jacobsen retired out of the Brooklyn Burglary Squad and now lives in Florida.

According to the book description of Viper, “Sergeant Nick Maloni supervises the Chief of Detectives’ Confidential Investigations Unit. He is assigned to look into a homicide by his boss Chief of Detectives’ Martin Kennedy. This leads Maloni to the African Black Army, and bombings that soon escalate to the killing of New York City police officers. An old enemy, General Chin takes credit for the explosions and the attacks on police officers. He demands the U.S. Government provide him with land for an independent black nation. General Chin uses an Arab terrorist, named Hassaim the Viper to prepare the bombs and provide funds. They form a symbiotic partnership to futher their own goals. Death and destruction by the terrorists prevails as Nick Maloni and his partner Jimmy Trask track down Chin and Hassaim.”

According to the book description of Business as Usual, “Detective First Grade Nick Maloni expects to meet the Mole, his stoolie. At the time of their meeting the Mole is an outside man in a bank robbery. Nick will be assigned to investigate that robbery.  The Mole signals the gang the money was delivered and that no police are in the bank. Sonny Mancuso, the gang’s leader with two others enter the small bank in the Flatlands section of  Brooklyn. The bank’s guard fatally shoots one of the robbers, and is shot himself. Unknown by the robbers an undercover off-duty police officer is in the bank. He exchanges shots with Mancuso and is hit. The thieves escape. Mancuso must now face Mafia boss, Sal Diamano to answer for the botched back robbery. The robber fears the worse, but to his surprise his is spared, but must do a job for Diamano. Mancuso is ordered to deal drugs with Ben Jones, Brooklyn’s black crime lord, gain his confidence, learn his operation and then kill Jones. Diamano plans to take over criminal operations in the black areas of  Brooklyn.

Nick Maloni meets his long time girl friend, Mary Ryan. She is a nurse at Kings County Hospital’s emergency room. They go for a drink. While in the bar the Mole comes in, and tells Nick he will call.

Jimmy Trask,  Nick’s partner is given information by Ben Jones of a bank robbery planned by a radical group that calls itself the African Black Army. The next day Jimmy and Nick set a trap, staking out the bank. The robbers come into the bank shooting. Both are killed by the detectives in a blazing shoot-out.

Ben Jones wants to meet Jimmy Trask, to offer the detective money. Trask gets into a confrontation with Frank Johnson,  Jones’s  underboss and bodyguard. A fight is avoided by Jones and a deal worked out with Trask to trade information.

A scheme is devised by Mancuso to sell drugs and convince Jones the Mafia from Yonkers is going to take over Diamano’s operation. Mancuso goes to Yonkers to convince the Mafia leaders they need to remove Diamano as a way to avoid a gang war between the Italians and  Brooklyn’s black gang. The first drug deal run by Mancuso with the black gang goes smoothly.

Mancuso is followed by detectives. He is sure some one has talked to the police. He suspects is was the Mole and gives a contract to Vito Gentile, a professional hit man, to kill the Mole.

Nick is hurt while part of a raid to capture a bank robber. He is taken to Kings County Hospital. Mary Ryan is on duty and sees the injury. She has been unable to make a commitment and seeing Nick hurt strengthens her resolve not to marry a cop only to become a widow. She  becomes distant and cools the relationship.

Mancuso is told by  the Mafia in Yonkers they are going to replace Diamano. He must step down or be killed.  Mancuso receives an okay to kill Diamano’s underboss. The contract is given to Vito Gentile.

Jones starts a war with Jamaican Rastafarians by bombing a store dealing drugs. They make an attempt to kill Jones. He kills four Rastas in a pool hall. Jones is told the hideout of Rasta Ja, their leader and  in the middle of the night stages a commando type raid on the house in Queens to kill him..

A task force is formed with city detectives, and the FBI to stop the war between the  Rastas and Ben Jones. Information is received that Jones does his drug deals under the Brooklyn Bridge. Nick finds out a large drug sale is going to take place shortly”

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Maloni is told the motives behind the homosexual killings, his informant is the next victim. The investigation leads them to a Brooklyn law firm, one of the lawyers is the brother of the Mayor of New York City. Arrests are made that shake up City Hall. Maloni confirms the killer is Vito Gentile, a contract killer who learned his trade as an assassin in Vietnam under the direction of the CIA.

The government agency is asked to cooperate and release information on Gentile to the detectives. They deny knowledge of the killer and start their own manhunt to find him.

Gentile is found by the Agency in Manhattan and marked for death. They soon find out the Agency is no match for the trained killer. The CIA next puts out a contract on the killer through a mobster in Las Vegas. Soon the CIA is placed on the offensive when a reporter meets with a deputy director of the CIA to  go over  their control of an assassination unit in Vietnam that killed woman and children. They plot to kill the story and the reporter.”

About the New York Police Department (NYPD):

The first law-enforcement officer began to patrol the trails and paths of New York City when it was known as New Amsterdam, and was a Dutch settlement and fort in the year 1625. This lawman was known as a "Schout – fiscal" (sheriff – attorney) and was charged with keeping the peace, settling minor disputes, and warning colonists if fires broke out at night. The first Schout was a man named Johann Lampo.

The Rattle Watch was a group of colonists during the Dutch era (1609 - 1664) who patrolled from sunset until dawn. They carried weapons, lanterns and wooden rattles (that are similar to the ratchet noisemakers used during New Year celebrations). The rattles made a very loud, distinctive sound and were used to warn farmers and colonists of threatening situations. Upon hearing this sound, the colonists would rally to defend themselves or form bucket-brigades to put out fires. The rattles were used because whistles had not yet been invented. The Rattle Watchmen also are believed to have carried lanterns that had green glass inserts. This was to help identify them while they were on patrol at night (as there were no streetlights at that time). When they returned to their Watch House from patrol, they hung their lantern on a hook by the front door to show that the Watchman was present in the Watch House. Today, green lights are still hung outside the entrances of Police Precincts as a symbol that the "Watch" is present and vigilant.

When the High Constable of New York City, Jacob Hays retired from service in 1844, permission was granted by the Governor of the state to the Mayor of the City to create a Police Department. A force of approximately 800 men under the first Chief of Police, George W. Matsell, began to patrol the City in July of 1845. They wore badges that had an eight-pointed star (representing the first 8 paid members of the old Watch during Dutch times). The badges had the seal of the City in their center and were made of stamped copper.

Source:

nycpolicemuseum.org

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